Chain Reaction
by PCGirl
Summary: A final fight between John and Natalie leaves more than emotional wreckage in it's wake.  Can John accept what he's been fighting before it's too late?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So the muse is kinda being stubborn on the next chapter of AWAFD, but she loves making up new scenarios where A) John gets to be an ass and get it kicked by someone with the name Buchanan somewhere in their name and B) Jolie find their way back to each other.

I'm seeing this as being 3 chapters, but it could be longer. And the Natalie rant in the first part is me projecting my feelings about that whole storyline. Yeah, I'm still a little bitter about it. ;)

Enjoy!

* * *

The noise that came out of Natalie's mouth was a mixture between a groan and a gag. She'd come to Rodi's to talk to John-to at least get Gigi her job back if nothing else. Not to watch John and Kelly making out like teenagers under the bleachers at a school function.

Looking down at her left hand she realized how over the pain she was-he didn't want her, and she was starting to feel the same way for him. Taking the ring off, she walked over and tapped him on the shoulder-interrupting them, "Take it," she said shoving the ring in his hand before he could react.

"Natalie," spoke Kelly as she wiped her mouth.

"Stop, Kelly. I don't care. I'm over it-you two do whatever you want, Liam and I will be fine on our own-I was raised by a single mother, I think I know how to do it without a man in my life," she said as she looked at John.

"Seemed to me that you and Lovett were getting reacquainted the other day when I came by," he snapped.

Natalie stopped-she didn't remember acting that way towards Brody at all-or John being around her at the same time as Brody. She thought back to the other day-the day that she found out Tess was alive and talked to Brody. She'd been scared that her sister had let her alter out to try and kill her again. He'd sat there and listened to her fears while she fed Liam a bottle. Sighing she decided he was worth the explanation, "It's not what you thought-I was talking about my fears where Tess is concerned."

"Sure. What you two do isn't my business, Natalie-not anymore."

She wasn't sure where it came from, or if asked later why she dredged it up, but what came next was a flood of hurt she'd felt before from John, "You remember when she kidnapped me, locked me into a soundproof cage in my mothers basement and nearly blew me up, right John? Oh yeah, that's because you never looked for me.

"I knew early on that Jared told you I was missing, and at first I kept imagining you were trying to find me, that one night you'd figure it out and rescue me. But you never did-you never cared enough to even believe him when he said I hadn't left on my own.

"So there John-you wanted the whole truth-there it is in black and white-you used you be my white knight, but haven't been in a very long time. Have a nice life," she said as she turned and left the bar.

"Do you need to go after her?" questioned Kelly who felt extremely awkward in the middle of that fight.

"No, she said it all," he said as he turned from Kelly and went towards the bar to get something stronger to ease the pain.

* * *

John was walking through the bull pen lost in his thoughts. Before the wedding-before his life crumbled to nothing more than dust, they'd talked about Natalie coming back to work this week. But he'd heard someone say she had taken more time off and would be back in a few weeks.

He'd spent the past few days since he saw her last going over what she said-how when Tess had her before he hadn't looked. Hadn't even batted an eye when she didn't show back up after Rex was shot. And he was wrong for doing that-she deserved to hear him admit that much.

He turned as he saw Bo come out of his office on his cell, putting his coat on quickly. When he heard him ask how Liam was doing he felt his heart drop.

"Bo?" he asked and stopped him from leaving the station.

"I'll meet you at the hospital, Joey," he said and hung up.

Bo sighed at having to tell John this, even though he understood the pain of feeling you'd been betrayed by the one person you never expected, he knew John was a lot like him and had kept hoping John would find his way back to Natalie faster than he did to Nora.

"Natalie had gone up to Viki's cabin for a few days-needed to find someway to relax and couldn't with the thought of Tess around. We don't know what happened-Joey went up there to check on her-make sure she'd gotten settled in. The car wasn't there-so he headed back down the mountain and that's when he saw the tire tracks going off the road and down an embankment."

"Natalie and Liam?"

Bo smiled, "He said Liam was in the back just talking to himself. Natalie was unconscious-wasn't responding to Joey. The EMT is on their way up there-I-I need to go get Viki and meet Joey at the hospital."

"I'll go with you."

"You sure?" he asked, knowing how things had been tense with him and Natalie and her family. The last thing he needed was John causing tension when the focus needed on Natalie. But then-John was always at his best when he was focusing on Natalie being in danger-maybe this would snap him back to reality and what really matters.

* * *

John paced the ER doors as he waited for the sounds of the ambulance siren. Bo had to yet make it with Viki, so he was left to his own thoughts. And prayers. He kept praying for her to be safe-to be conscious by the time they brought her in.

Finally hearing the siren he stood there as the ambulance doors opened and Joey came out safely with Liam in his arms while they lowered Natalie down. He remembered when he rode with her after getting her out of the pit-being her white knight that night.

And here he was watching as an outsider and wanting to help.

"What the hell are you doing here?" asked Joey as he came up to John holding Liam. John sighed at how much he'd grown-he almost wasn't a baby anymore, but a little man.

"I was with Bo at the end of the call-I wanted to see how Natalie was, and Liam too."

"They are both fine without you-you can leave," spoke Joey as he heard the doctor ask for the next of kin and he had to come forward. "Hold him-I know your feelings about him, but just do it for Natalie," he said as he passed off his nephew to a man he hated.

John looked down at Liam and smiled when he recognized him-with only a few visits here and there the boy still recognized him-that had to mean something. "Hey. Mom's getting checked out, but she's going to be fine," he said as he looked towards the exam room. Hearing a commotion he turned to see Viki coming in with Bo and Brody behind her.

"John? Where is she?" asked Viki and he gave a nod towards the room that Joey had gone in.

After Viki left he looked at Brody, "I-I was just holding him," he said, angry that he had to explain himself to this man he once saw as a friend.

"It's fine-John, she loves you and the kid loves you too."

John looked down into the blue eyes and saw something for a second-almost a mirror of himself, but instead of embracing it he sighed and handed the kid over, "But he's not mine, Brody," and walked out of the hospital.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I'm not 100% happy with this chapter-but that's nothing new. LOL. Enjoy! PCGirl

* * *

"So explain to me why I'm going with you up here?" asked Officer Theo Price as he sat in John's police car while they went up a mountain road.

"Natalie wouldn't just go off an embankment-she's a good driver, plus Liam was with her-she'd never put him in danger."

Price laughed at John avoiding the real question-the man had been a pain in the ass since breaking it off with the red head and yet here they were going up the day after the accident to check the scene for clues, "Yeah-sure. Let me rephrase that-why me and not Lovett?"

"Because-he's got a kid to watch," he said as he pulled the car over and took a look at the scene the EMT's had left yesterday. He didn't want to bring up the fact that he thought Tess might have something to do with this. Natalie had been worried about her safety when it came to her sister's alter, and the woman had tampered with brakes before.

"Oh yeah-that," he said as he got down the hill and went towards the car. "How is Natalie doing?"

"I wouldn't know," he glared, but he did. He'd called to check on her earlier, lying and saying he was her husband-there was slight swelling on the brain and they had her sedated until it went down. Whether she ever came out of the coma was yet to be seen.

"What are we looking for exactly? I thought they said something must of crossed her path and she swerved."

"Did you see brake marks up there?" he asked and when Price realized what he was saying he nodded. "Ok-so start looking."

John looked in the backseat and saw the blanket his mother had given it to Liam as welcome home present. It was similar to one that his grandmother had given him and Mike when they came home from the hospital, and he wondered if he should ask for it back-that Liam wasn't his and he didn't deserve it.

But then he thought the boy deserved everything-parents that loved him and loved each other. In all this he knew the truth-that there was nothing between Brody or Natalie, but it didn't make her keeping secrets from him any easier. Hearing his name being called from under the car he headed to the front and knelt down to help Price back out from under the car, "You found something?"

"Brake line is definitely cut."

* * *

John rang the doorbell at Llanfair-he'd called the CSU team to go pick up the car and bring it back for analysis and left Price at the station running her credit cards. He expected a fine tooth comb gone over the car. Any prints he wanted ran and to be told about it immediately. Right now he needed a timeline-how long had Natalie been up there, who knew, everything to give him an idea as to who had access to the car.

When the door opened he was surprised to have to look down. Kneeling down he smiled at Bree, "Hey sweetie."

"Aunt Natalie's not here," she said with a big smile.

"I know-is your Grandma?" he asked and then heard Viki asking who she was talking to.

"Oh John-come in," she said as she tried to sooth Liam. "He's being fussy-Natalie has a CD she usually plays-but I think she took it with her."

"Yeah," he said, having seen it in the floor board of the car, and pulled out an identical one from his coat pocket. "This is my copy-I figured you might need it until we can get the other one out of evidence."

"Oh thank you-you are such a blessing. Do you want to hold him?" she asked tentatively and headed towards the living room.

"Sure," he said as he took him and couldn't help but notice Liam relax into his arms.

"So what is the reason for the visit John? Just to bring the CD or talk about Natalie-," she stopped herself since Bree was in the room and didn't know where Natalie was, only that Liam was with them.

John nodded at the unsaid question, "Who knew Natalie had gone up to the cabin?"

"Just Joey and myself. She'd talked to us about needing to get away and we suggested she go up there for a few days."

"And mama," spoke up Bree and suddenly had the attention again of both adults in the room.

"When did you see your mommy?" asked John as he rocked Liam calmly without a second thought.

"She came by right after Aunt Natalie left-said she wanted to talk to her. She didn't even want to see me," she said as her eyes began to fill with tears. "Is Aunt Natalie leaving Liam like mommy left me?"

Looking back up at Viki he saw the sadness in her eyes as to what Bree thought, and a fear as to what this could all mean.. "Sweetie-why don't we go see if Lois has some cookies," said Viki quickly and ushered the young child out of the room.

Alone John looked down at Liam who was sleeping soundly in his arms. Sighing he began to talk, "It's been a couple crazy weeks, kid. First I'm in your life-then I'm not, and now your mom isn't around. But it'll be ok-she's going to be back soon because there is no way she can leave you-," he stopped before he finished the sentence_ not like I did_.

Hearing footsteps he looked up as Viki came back in, "Is everything ok?"

"Kids are smarter than you think-if you aren't around they notice, even babies John," she said as she looked at Liam. "You are a natural with him, John-he calmed down just by you holding him. Already at his young age he knows you are his protector."

"I-."

"It's ok-you don't have to respond. I was lucky with my boys-I found Clint and he loved them unconditionally and immediately wanted to be a father to them. I think Liam would be lucky if you could still be in his life."

"No offense, but I hope I can be a better father than Clint," he grinned and looked back at Liam. He should put him down now-put him down and walk away like he had so many times already, but he couldn't. The little guy needed him right now and he couldn't say no.

"You can still be in his life, John. It's up to you to find a way to let him in."

"I know. Listen, if you want to focus on Bree for a couple hours I could take him."

"Are you sure?"

John looked down and smiled for what felt like the first time in weeks, "Yeah. I need to start bonding with him again."

* * *

John woke with a start when he heard someone in the bathroom, "Who's there?" he called out and looked over to the playpen he'd set up for Liam to sleep in. He'd been planning on just taking him for a few hours, but Viki had called and Ford had decided to have Tess committed now that he had Ryder, so John had told her he'd keep Liam for the night.

Looking back at the bathroom door he saw Natalie walking out and realized this was all a dream, "What were you doing in there?"

"Making sure you didn't have Kelly stashed somewhere," she said as she got into his face and smiled. "And look at that-you aren't plastered, either. Maybe now we can have a real talk."

"It's not real because you aren't. You're in a coma at the hospital."

"Very good," she smiled and sat down on the end of the bed, her back facing him and looking at Liam sleeping. "I'm glad that the gross amount of whiskey you've been drinking hasn't harmed your sharp detective skills. So have you figured it out yet?"

"Yeah, it was Tess-I haven't gotten evidence yet, but I'm sure it's her."

"That's not what I'm talking about-and for all you know I did it myself. I lost you-I lost Jessica, what else do I have to live for?"

"No," John shook his head. "You have Liam-and you would never hurt him."

"You're right. But have you figured out why I was headed back down from the cabin so soon?"

"No. Tell me."

"I can't," she said and wrinkled her nose at a sudden smell coming from the playpen. "Who knew such a little guy like that could make such a big stink."

And suddenly Liam's cry woke him up and John looked over to see Natalie was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

John looked around the apartment one more time before handing off the diaper bag to Roxy, "That should be all you'll need-if you need something else just let yourself in."

"No problemo-the kid and I are going to be rocking it out today," she laughed and patted John on the chest. "I'm so glad to see you are wanting to be a part of this kids life-he's a pretty good kid."

"Yeah, he is," he said as he looked down at Liam asleep in his carrier. He'd stayed up for awhile after putting Liam back to bed-thinking of everything that happened. Trying to figure out what Natalie had been trying to tell him-and he thought maybe he should have his head checked for thinking she could actually communicate with him through a dream.

"I shouldn't be long-just want to catch up with Price on the investigation," he stopped at the banging on the door and opened it to find an irate Brody on the other side.

"Who the hell do you think you are? Taking my son without my permission," he yelled as he stomped in and grabbed the carrier off the ground and swung it, waking up Liam crying in almost a terror like scream.

"First off, put the baby down and we'll talk," said John as he look the carrier out of his hand and picked up Liam, who calmed immediately at his presence. "Viki wanted to focus on Bree and I offered to take him for a few hours. When Ford put Tess in St Anne's-."

"Wait-Tess is at St Anne's?"

"Yeah," said John, wondering exactly where Brody had been all night, and noticing the smell of alcohol coming from his clothes. "I took him for the night. Listen-I figured you would be with Tess or Ryder so it wouldn't matter. I'm sorry-I guess I should have asked, " looking at Liam and again reminded that the boy in his arms was not his son.

"No-it's ok. I guess Natalie still wants you in his life. We'll find out if she wakes up."

"If?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, he hadn't called yet this morning, but there seemed to be improvement last night.

"Sorry-when he wasn't in his crib I panicked. I-I need to find out what's going on with Tess," he said as he left just as quickly and paid no mind to LIam.

John turned back to Roxy who had been standing there quietly, "I need to go-," he said looking back at the empty door. After the scene that had just happened he really didn't want to have Liam out of his sight and wondered how he could manage both work and Liam at the same time.

"Don't worry, Johnny-there's no way in hell I'm letting him leave with my grandson. We both know who Natalie sees as his father," she said as she gave him a pat on the shoulder.

* * *

"Give me the details," spoke John to Price as he walked into his office and hung up his coat. Reaching in his pocket to pull out his cell phone he pulled out a pacifier as well and was sure he'd begun to blush. "I-I had Liam last night."

"That's great. You going to let baby momma come back in as well?" he grinned.

"One step at a time-what did they find on the car?"

"There were two sets of marks on the brakes. Like someone started and got stopped so they had to finish the job later. As for prints-nothing."

John nodded, he'd figured as much on the prints. "The two sets of marks would match Natalie's credit card history," he said as he picked up the report on his desk and noticed she'd spent a bit of money on groceries before heading up to the cabin. "You get surveillance footage yet?"

"I sent Fish to go get it. Probably need to check up on him," he said as he began to leave and stopped. "Glad you are trying the fatherhood thing out again-the ass hole look wasn't working for you two well."

"Haha," he said with a grin and sat down to study the forensic report. This was when he needed Natalie-hand her the sheet and she'd put it out there in simple terms. When his cell went off he looked down and felt his stomach drop at seeing a hospital number pop up, "Hello?"

"Hi-I'm looking for Natalie Banks. This is Dr Walter's nurse, Liam's pediatrician. I can't reach her on her cell and she'd left this once as an emergency contact."

"Uhm-she's not available, but I'm Liam's dad," he said, wobbling on the use of the word.

"Oh, ok. I wanted to check to see how Liam was doing. Mrs. Banks had thought he'd been stung by a bee and was having a reaction."

And there it was, John thought, the reason she was headed down the mountain so soon. "Oh yeah-he's fine now."

"Good-when she didn't show up or call back we were worried."

"Thanks for checking up," he said as he hung up and sat there for a moment before a smile appeared on his face and he jumped up and grabbed his coat.

* * *

John walked into St Anne's and hoped to avoid Marty, at least until he'd talked to Viki first. He'd talked to both Michael and his mom on the way over and was pretty sure he knew what Liam's reaction to the bee sting meant.

Seeing Viki standing outside a closed door he braced himself. If this was nothing more than a fluke he was going to fall harder than before, "Mrs Banks."

"Oh John. Hi. Is Liam ok?"

"He' s fine. Roxy's watching him. I-I got a call from the Pediatrician and she said somethng about him having an allergic reaction to a bee sting. Were any of your kids allergic to them?" he asked, having already called Rex and mysteriously asked about both him and Natalie.

"No. Nothing more than the normal reaction. Why?"

John smiled and let out a breath, "I-I don't want to go into it now. Have you heard from the hospital today on Natalie's condition?"

"Yes. She's breathing on her own, the swelling seems to be gone now and they are just waiting to see if there's any damage once she wakes up. I need to get over there, but-," she stopped looking at the door and John knew Tess was behind there putting up a fight.

"I'm going to go over there in a bit," he said as he saw Marty going into the sitting area. "Excuse me," he said as he followed her. "Marty," he said while keeping his distance.

"John. This is a surprise-is everything ok?"

"Yeah," he said as he looked at the couch and realized he needed to stand for this. "I need to ask you a few questions about the night in the lab."

"Ok, but I think I told you everything."

"You said you printed out a copy of the results. That the results said Brody was the father, right?"

"Yes."

"That was after you changed them from my name to his, right?"

Marty paused and John saw it-in the delay she still tried to decide whether or not to be hones with him, "John-."

John flared his nostrils, "I'm really tired of people lying to me Marty. Tell me the truth."

"I had to."

"You-you had to?" he questioned with a laugh. "Why? Because I left you for Natalie? Because I let Cole go to prison?"

"Because I couldn't let you be tied to that lying tramp for the rest of your life."

John felt his temper rising, all the months he'd wasted being away from Liam was for nothing. "Natalie might have lied, but she never cheated," he said, thinking of how he'd hurt her so badly with the way he'd been acting. Not just the sleeping with Kelly to get back at her, but the words he'd thrown in her face time and time again, how he'd purposely done something when he knew she'd see it just to stab her in the heart again.

"So you would rather have another man raise my child? You would want to take that away from me again?"

"No, but you know now. I heard about the accident, so if something happens to Natalie, I can help you raise Liam. We can be a family John."

John looked around and already saw the nuns watching the scene carefully so he didn't yell like he wanted to-didn't raise his voice like he had at Natalie after the botched second wedding. Instead he leaned down and looked her straight in the eye, his eyes burning with rage, "You don't get to decide when it's best for me to have my son in my life, Marty."

Turning away despite her pleas he began to walk-and decide how to make it all right. How to put back together the life he had single-handily destroyed.


	4. Chapter 4

John walked back to the hospital room with coffee in hand. He'd sat with Natalie for a few hours now, leaving to take calls from Price regarding the security footage which had been a dead end since there were no cameras pointed towards the parking lot.

Price had found where Natalie came in and left the store-seeming her normal happy self, but John wanted to see it for himself and was planning on going by the station to review the tape before heading home to Liam.

The thought made him smile-though nothing had changed in his feelings towards the boy since this morning, knowing that he was his somehow helped through all this. He'd told Roxy none of this when he'd called to check on him-worried that Brody might show up and she would blab the truth to him.

His thoughts were interrupted by a scream coming from Natalie's room and he took off. Reaching the room she looked white as a ghost, and though he was glad she was finally awake he was frightened by her reaction, "Hey-I'm right here," he said as he came over and sat on the bed.

"Where's Liam? Where's my son?" she demanded.

"He's with Roxy. Calm down, drink this," he said as he poured her a cup of ice water from the pink pitcher at her bedside.

"I-I woke up and was here. What happened? How long-?"

"Just a couple days. Your brakes were cut-did you know?" he said as he pushed her hair out of her face, something he'd been wanting to do since he got here earlier.

"No-Liam was having a reaction and I took off down the mountain. It was a-."

"Bee sting," he said as he completed her sentence, and smiled at her surprised reaction. "Did I ever tell you my old man had a bee allergy? So is Michael, but it's leveled off since he's gotten older. I talked to him-he's actually already got a child's Epipen for Gabe just in case. Guess the allergy switched itself to Liam instead."

"What-what are you saying?" she asked and took another sip of water before putting it on the table, grimacing at the pain that radiated her body. Between the accident and lying motionless for two days it ached horribly.

"I-I'm not sure, but I think Liam is mine. Marty told me the truth-she changed the test."

"And what if she's lying John? What if this is another way to stick it to me, because despite your BBF status you have with her-she seems to enjoy making my life a living hell. Besides-."

"Besides what?" he asked, anger at her reaction to what he thought was wonderful news.

"I'm not sure I want this anymore."

"This?" he said, still confused as to what she was trying to get across.

"Us. If you are Liam's father then you can have access to him all you want, but I don't think I want to be a part of your life anymore, John."

"How can you say that?" he stammered. He'd been picturing this scene for hours now, of him telling her the truth and it never went like this. "We-we were going to be married-we were starting our family."

"You think I don't know that? That suddenly I forgot your reaction at Liam's first kick, or how you constantly said we were a family-that this was meant to be. But you learned the truth and I knew it'd kill you-but it killed what we had also. I had realized it up in the cabin-that I have only one thing to live for now, and that's Liam."

"You don't give up-you told me you'd never give up on us."

"I guess I lied. You said I was getting good at it," she said as she looked him in the eye and John saw she was serious with her words.

John mused at her words, "I guess so-I'll have Price come by and get your statement tomorrow. Glad you're ok," he said as he got up and left the room without looking back.

* * *

It had been an hour since John left and Natalie just kept her eyes closed. She would let herself begin to go to sleep, but then she would relive the feeling of unable to stop the car before it went off the road and the crunching metal sound would startle her enough that she feared to close her eyes.

Hearing a soft knock on the door she opened her eyes to see her mom peeking into the room, "Mom," she smiled.

"Oh baby," she said as she rushed to the bed and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I was so worried. How are you feeling?"

"Sore," nodded Natalie. "I-I still don't understand everything. Who would cut my brakes?"

"John didn't tell you? I was expecting him to still be here, did he go to get something to eat?"

"No-he left. He didn't say much about the accident-just that the brakes were cut. There were a few other things more important."

"Like him being Liam's father after all?"

"How-?"

"I was at St Anne's when Marty told him. I don't know what was said, but he left and she had a breakdown. She was yelling she did it to protect him. I don't think he ever heard a word she said, or cared. Why did he leave?" she asked, surprised that he would unless asked to do so.

"I pretty much pushed him away. Told him I didn't want us after all-all I want is my son," she said as her eyes started to fill with tears.

"Oh honey. Obviously you don't believe that."

"I have to. It's better for everyone if we're just parents to Liam and nothing else."

"I don't think this is the time for making life changing decisions. Right now I think you need to put all your focus on getting better so you can go home to your son."

"Ok, mom," she smiled and closed her eyes, finally letting herself fall into a restful sleep.

* * *

"Thanks," said John as he paid for the pizza and turned back, smiling at the sight before him-Liam sitting in his bouncer smiling at him. "What? You think you are getting some of this? Yeah-you know what this is because your mom ate it so much before she had you. But you've already had your dinner."

When he'd picked up Liam from Roxy's he'd held in the emotion until they made it upstairs-and then he let himself feel joy for the first time in months. This boy-the one he had loved since the first moment was his and Natalie's-they had made this little person together with their love, not some spur of the moment sack in bed.

Natalie. He sighed at thinking about what she said-how she didn't want what they were about to have anymore-how he'd totally blown it.

He took a bite of pizza before putting focus back on Liam, "I screwed up kiddo-big time. And you're going to learn I'm not one to admit when he's wrong, but I was. Sometimes your mom and I-we have it going so right that it's inevitable that we screw it up.

"And it wasn't just her-I mean, yes-she kept me in the dark about her and Lovett's one night stand, but I find out the truth and found the bottom of a bottle quick and said some pretty hurtful things to her.

"So here's what we're going to do tonight-we get a game plan going and start repairing some of the bridges I've burned-and save the biggest bridge for last. What do you think about that?" he asked, and laughed as Liam let out a squeal as if agreeing with what he'd just said.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Ok, so apparently I have no clue when the end of this story is (actually I do-it's the next chapter) I keep adding scenes in my head that I hadn't planned on before so it keeps getting stretched out more. The last chapter should be up later today or tomorrow afternoon at the latest. Oh, and I had to call out Natalie on something she's done a few times on the show recently. hehehe. Until next time-ya'll are the best-PCGirl.

* * *

John was trying to focus on the case in front of him, but his mind kept wandering. He wanted to see Liam, but after he and Natalie had a talk on the phone the day after she woke up they decided it was best to wait until they knew the truth, and Brody as well, before he kept Liam again.

She'd been released yesterday, and he thought of going over just to check on her, but he needed to wait-give her time to adjust to the idea of him still being in her life because of Liam before he pushed himself back into it.

So he was shocked when it was her that came into his office after a knock on the door, "Hey. You ok? Liam?"

"We're both fine," she said with a hesitated smile and closed the door. She kept wanting to pull back from John but he kept giving her reasons not to-his interest in her and Liam again for starters was a nice change to what she'd put up with recently.

Still though-what if something else came up in the future and he actually treated Liam with the hostility he'd been giving her-she couldn't put her child knowingly in that kind of situation. "I-brought you a gift," she said with a wrinkled brow at the word, and pulled out a DNA swab kit.

"Ah. Figured you'd want to wait. We can if you want-but it's not going to change the truth."

"We need to know-and Brody needs to know also, though I feel bad for telling him."

"I don't," he said as he walked around the desk and leaned back on it.

"John-this will be the third son he's lost. Two in a matter of months."

"Ok, fine. I feel bad for him for that, but I'm still upset about the whole situation," he said as he touched her hair, knowing a touch wouldn't be enough. "He took advantage of you."

"So now you're defending my honor? Do you really want to go there, McBain?"

"It's got to be discussed sometime, Natalie-all of it," he said as he leaned in so close to her and smiled before taking the kit out of her hand, noticing she was completely rattled right now, and thought score one for me.

"You want me to?" she stuttered as he opened the bag and she tried to reach for it.

"I think I can swab my own cheek," he teased as he did it and then handed the sample back to her. "Who is doing the test?"

"I was going to get Jacobs. I'm not giving names-just want to see if these two samples could be related. When we get the results you want read them here?"

"No," he shook his head, nervous that maybe her gut was right and Marty was lying through all this. "How about the rooftop? It's private," he said, and thought of how it was their place as much as Rodi's was.

"I'll see you there," she said as she turned and left-wondering exactly where this all was going.

* * *

Natalie was nervous as she kept pacing back and forth on the rooftop. When the door opened and John walked out into the sun holding two bottles she had to tilt her head to the side in confusion.

"To toast-or you can do that weird just smelling it thing you did the entire pregnancy and after," he joked and sat down on the bench where she joined him, and had so many other times before.

"It relaxed me," she defended, and realized again how easy things were going between them. "I didn't look, but Jacobs told me congratulations, so I think I know the answer already," she said as she handed the results to him and was surprised her hands weren't shaking.

Even with that news John was nervous as well to read the piece of paper. When he got to the bottom of the paper and saw the match percentage at 99% he let out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding.

When John looked over at Natalie and she saw the tears filling his eyes she pulled him into a hug, "I knew it. Somewhere in my heart I knew you were his father."

John didn't know how long they stayed there holding each other, but cursed the phone in his pocket when it began to ring. Looking at the number he was puzzled since he didn't recognize it, "McBain."

"John-it's Victoria Banks. Do you know where Natalie is?"

"She's with me," he said as he looked over at Natalie, and continued to listen to what the other woman was saying. "Ok-we'll be right there."

"What's going on? Is it Liam?"

"He's fine. Rex and Gigi are with him-."

"What? Thanks makes no sense."

"Apparently Brody was at St Anne's visiting Jessica and Marty decided to tell Brody how sorry she was he'd lost another son," he said, not believing that for a second.

"When he questioned her she told him everything she told me, and then he stormed out of the place. He's probably headed to Llanfair so we need to hurry," he said as they rushed off the roof and forgot about the moment they were just sharing.

* * *

John reached the front door first and could hear Brody arguing. Going in his actions kept teetering between treating this as any regular domestic dispute and being a father.

When they reached the living room he saw that Rex was standing between Brody and Gigi who was holding a very fussy Liam. "Brody," he said, keeping distance still between them.

"No-you are not taking my son. He's mine-you walked away from him and I stepped in."

"And I was wrong for that, and I'm making it up starting now," he said as he looked back at Natalie. "But let's just calm down and talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about-I am not losing another son. He's all I have now."

"You aren't," said Natalie, walking in front of John, despite him trying to keep her from doing so. Friend to Natalie or not, the man was a stick of dynamite right now and he didn't want her too close to him. "And you haven't lost your everything-when we get Jess back you still can be Ryder's father. But Liam is John's."

"This isn't fair-I'm the one that wants to be a father, not John. He's said it before he never saw himself being a father so why be one now? You can go back to sleeping with whoever and let me raise him."

Natalie looked back at John-she knew he was ready to go off on Brody, but it would only hurt the situation if he did. "You're right-it's not fair. It's not fair that Marty decided to get revenge on John and I and switch the results. It's not fair that because of thinking we'd had a child together Jess let Tess come out, but it's going to be ok."

"No, it won't-I'm tired of getting to play a sit-in father until the real one decides he wants to be one after all," he shouted as he stalked out of the living room and they all stood there until they heard the front door slam.

"Should someone go after him?" asked Gigi who walked towards Natalie with Liam.

"No, let him go-I've been where he is. No one can really get through to him right now," spoke John as he watched Natalie take his son and calm him down with soft murmurs and kisses.

Natalie turned to John and she could read him so easily. "Do you want to hold your son?" she asked with a smile.

John just smiled as he took Liam from her. He'd already thought of him as his son again, but now it felt even more amazing knowing that he really was his. Smiling at him he looked back at Natalie, "Hey-I know you just got out of the hospital and haven't had a lot of time with him, but do you think I could have him Saturday night? I-I just want to make up for the lost time."

"No, yeah-sure. I'm sure he'd love to have a guys night with his dad," she smiled and was so wrapped into looking at Liam she didn't see the look

* * *

"You know I'm really glad you decided to come out tonight-it'll do you some good," said Gigi as she drove with Natalie in the car. She thought she'd have to beg for her to come out, even with Liam not being home, but her friend had given up pretty easily-which helped for what was going to come next.

"Well, it was either that or sit home and wonder how Liam and John were doing."

"John's fine-he's a great father. And if he has any problems he will call."

"I know," she said, nervous though at the thought of him not being with her. "So where to?"

"I was thinking Capricorn, but first I need to stop by Rodi's-I promised I'd drop something off to Jeff. Is that going to be a problem?"

"No-why would it?" she said as they pulled into the Rodi's parking lot and she noticed how empty it seemed. "Where is everyone?"

"Well, you know with John's bi polar ways lately he's lost a lot of business. I'm sure it'll get busier later on tonight," she said with a smile as they parked. When they were halfway across the parking lot she stopped and turned back to the car, "I forgot something-I'll be right back."

"Sure," said Natalie as she kept going in and realized the bar was truly empty. "Jeff?" she called out, but was surprised when it was actually John that came out from the back. "What?"

"We need to talk," he said as she turned to leave. "Gigi is already gone-I told her I would give her her job back if she'd help me get you here tonight," he grinned and watched as she again started to argue. "Don't worry about Liam-Uncle Rex and Aunt Gigi are watching him for the night."

"The whole night? You really think I'm spending the whole night with you?" she questioned.

John walked around the bar and got directly in her face, pushing her hair behind her ear he felt her breath hitch and smiled, "You will if I have anything to say about it."h what he'd just said.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry, I've had trouble with wanting to upload for the past three days. So there's a reason for the delay-I figured out a way to extend the story so I had to write out a timeline in my head so I know where I'm going. This chapter has some of my favorite scenes in it. hehehe. Enjoy! Until next time-PCGirl.

* * *

John walked around the bar and got directly in her face, pushing her hair behind her ear he felt her breath hitch and smiled, "You will if I have anything to say about it."

Natalie let herself stand there against John-staring into his eyes that almost seemed to be begging to let him back in. But she couldn't and pushed away from him and walked towards the door, "You are such an ass hole. Giving my friend an ultimatum that if she didn't help you then she couldn't have her job back."

"It was never an ultimatum," he said, remembering how happy Gigi was to help-more so about helping him than even getting her job back. "Where are you going, Natalie?"

"I'm calling a ride to take me to home."

"Where's your purse?" he asked in almost a mocking tone.

Realizing she had left it in Gigi's car she cursed, "Damn it. Fine-I'll walk."

"When did you become such a chicken? You used to never back down from a fight. Is it because you want this? Want us to be a family again and you are just too scared to let me back in. Damn it, Natalie-I know I hurt you bad this time, but you did the same to me. Some of it has been fixed-Liam really being mine, but we still need to talk about the rest."

"No, we don't. We'll sit down with our lawyers and figure out visitation rights. The rest can just sit there stewing between us for all I care."

John laughed, that was so Buchanan of her, "Lawyers? Really? And you don't mean the rest. I've seen it in your eyes-in my office, on the rooftop, and just now too. When we're honest with each other we work pretty damn well. Why can't we start there and see where it goes."

Natalie stared at him-he really was trying. But after it was all out in the open would he still be there? Walking over to the pool table she took a stick down and began pulling the balls out of the pockets on her end of the table while he did the same on his, "You know-I get why you slept with Kelly the first time. You were hurt and needed someone, and you wanted to stick it to me about me and Brody-but then you kept going back to her. When we had our one night stand you never came back to me. What is so different between Kelly and I?"

John was surprised by the question-there was so much different that he wasn't exactly sure where to start, "I think I knew back then if I kept going back to you it would just start us up all over again, and you seemed to be better off without me so I didn't. With Kelly-there was never the smallest chance I would fall in love with her."

Natalie nodded at his explanation and broke. When she didn't get anything in she looked at him, "Your turn," she said, meaning both in the game and asking a question.

"Why didn't you tell me about you and Brody? Truth this time Natalie."

Natalie sighed as she took her next shot, "Go right for the 8-ball there, McBain. I think I was worried I'd fail you. I mean hell I slept with my sister's boyfriend-what was I thinking?"

John had heard those words before-Rex had said that right before he proposed, "You were hurt-you thought I'd not chosen you, and he was a friend. I wish you had trusted me enough in the beginning to know that you could never fail me," he said as he put down the pool cue and walked over to her.

"Not even when I try and pass off another man's son as yours?" she asked, trying to make light of the situation that was now behind them.

John sighed, "That was because of Marty. And I think anyone would be proud to call Liam their son-I was already starting to warm back up to him while you were in your coma."

"So I heard," she said, smiling at the fact that he'd actually had Liam for a night. "What's next?"

"I think we keep working on this. The trusting, telling each other truth no matter how painful it may be, but first I have a better idea," he said as he propped the pool cue against the table.

Natalie felt like she was watching a movie in slow motion as John's mouth came down to hers, but there was nothing slow about his kisses. They were harsh as they went from her mouth and down her neck. Lifting her up onto the pool table she wondered if this is what he had planned all along-to not let her leave until they once again were whole, because they both knew they weren't without the other one fully in their life.

* * *

John walked out of the bathroom and smiled at the scene before him-Natalie leaning over the bed getting Liam ready for the day. It was a scene he'd watched multiple times over the past few weeks since him and Natalie had gotten back together, and one he never got tired of.

Walking over he kissed her on the cheek and watched her blush some when she smiled, "What are your plans for today?"

"First I'm dropping Liam off at mom's and then I'm going to talk to Bo about me coming back part time. I need to get back into the rhythm of work and being a mom."

John nodded, he knew the time was coming and was looking forward to having her work beside him again at the station, "Yeah? I was thinking-maybe at lunch we can start talking about what we both want in a house?"

"Really?" she smiled, her eyes lighting up at the thought of them really going forward with their life as a family.

"Yeah, I'll see you at the station," he said giving her a deep kiss and then leaning down to kiss Liam as well.

* * *

John was on his way up the walkway when is phone rang and he was surprised to see it was Natalie, "Hey everything ok?"

"Yeah," she sighed.

"What happened? Liam?" he asked as he started to turn and go back to his car.

Natalie laughed at him recognizing the tears in her voice, "He's fine. I just got emotional leaving him at mom's. It's stupid because she's kept him other times, but this time it was actually so I could go to work."

"If you aren't ready-."

"No, I am. But your car isn't in the parking lot at the station. Are you already on a case?"

"No-I had something I had to do first," he said as he looked towards the house in front of him. "I'll be there soon though."

"Oh, ok. I'm going to go on in and talk to Bo-I'll see you when you get here then."

Slipping the phone back in his pocket he finished the walk up to the door. Before he could move forward with Natalie and Liam as his family there was something he had to take care of. When the door opened at his knock he remained civil, "Hi Marty."

"John, what a surprise," said Marty as she let him come in. "I wasn't expecting to see you-do you want some coffee?"

"No, this isn't a social call," he said as he stood and looked around. She'd been out of St Anne's for a few days and he had kept tabs on her, making sure she was getting nowhere near Natalie or Liam, and while there was a chance she wouldn't he still couldn't take the chance that she was still out for revenge.

"Oh, ok. Is it professional? I lost my license, but we can discuss what's going on in non-specific terms."

"It's not professional either-I need you to leave town."

"What? You can't mean that-is this some sort of ultimatum that Natalie gave you? You get me to leave or she won't let you near your son."

"Natalie has nothing to do with this."

"What about Cole? I can't just move and leave him-and Hope. She needs her grandmother."

"You let me know whenever you settle into your new life and promise I will have Cole moved to a prison close to you. As for Hope-I'm sure Starr will keep you updated on how she's doing and sending pictures."

"Why are you doing this John? Can't you see what Natalie's doing to you? She's making you get rid of your friends. First me-and then what, she makes you not talk to your brother anymore?"

"You don't get it, Marty-I don't see you as a friend. What I do see you as is a person who could possibly snap at a moment's notice and harm my family. I won't let that happen so it's best for everyone if you leave town."

"And what if I don't?"

"Then the video footage of you entering Dr Wright's office and stealing Natalie's records will show up on the DA's desk and I will make damn sure you are put far far away from your son."

"You wouldn't do that."

"Watch me," he said and turned and left as calmly as he came in.


End file.
